Trees at lay-bys and in road reserves

While many of the trees in Namibia are somewhat dull green, at least for the grea-ter part of the year, the ushivi tree, only found northeast of a line from Oshikango to Tsumkwe, is conspicuopus by its large shiny dark green ca-nopy. This tree is almost evergreen and its drooping branches are supported by lovely pinkish to creamy brown trunks often with large patches of dark rough bark. This striking tree is most visible along the B8 between Grootfontein and Rundu, north of the turn-off of the C44. It may reach a height of 20 m. In Kavango it is almost the only evergreen tree and it is found only on deep Kalahari sand.

The unmistakeable leaves consist of two sickle shaped leaflets attached by short leaf stalks to a petiole of about 1.9 cm. The leaflets are asymmetrical, the midrib running very close to the inner edge. They are glossy green above and slightly paler below.
Star-shaped white flowers in loose sprays appear from December to February. Another diagnostic feature of the shivi tree are the numerous small, shiny black, woody and almost circular pods, which split open on one side and release a seed covered in a bright red seed coat known as an aril to dangle from the pod at the end of a thin stalk.

Over time these red seeds drop to the ground where they can easily be collected. They are important food items. The arils can easily be removed and can be eaten raw. Alternatively, they are first soaked in water for a few minutes after which they fall off the seed. Soup can then be prepared by cooking the arils, while the seeds are baked in hot ashes and then pounded. They can be eaten on their own; however, usually they are mixed with pounded manketti nuts (Schinziophyton rautanenii). The bright red seeds are also stuck onto sticks smeared with bird lime and are a favourite bait for snaring guinea fowl. The seed oil is used for cooking and for cosmetic purposes.
The seed and arils are also boiled and used for tanning, as the oil contained therein keeps leather soft and pliable.
The durable wood has an attractive pinkish brown colour due to which it is sometimes referred to as 'rose wood' while it is known as 'machibi' in the timber trade. Bar counters in some Namibian lodges are fashioned from shivi trunks sawn in half lengthways and polished. The wood polishes well and is also used for carving, for making various utensils and for making drums and stools. Except for kiaat (Pterocarpus angolensis) shivi wood is most commonly used for the woodcarvings displayed at the many stalls along the northerly part of his road.
In addition to being beautiful trees providing welcome shade, the roots and leaves of the shivi tree are boiled together with several other plants and used for nocturnal steam baths which are said to be an effective cure for general weakness, fever, psychoses, depression and malaria.

Tea prepared from the leaves intensifies contractions of the uterus during the expulsion of the afterbirth and is also used as a cough remedy. The mashed root is applied to wounds to speed healing.

Names: E. copalwood; G. Schivi-baum, Bastardmopane; A. bastermopanie, Nd. Omusii; Ky. omushii. The botanical name Guibourtia refers to the French pharmacologist N.J.B. Guibourt, an early the 19th century author of a history of medicinal plants. ColeospermaI, derived from Greek, means "a seed covered by a sheath", namely the red aril mentioned before. The common names "Bastardmopane" and "bastermopanie" refer to the leaves which are reminiscent of the leaves of the mopane tree (Coleosperma mopane).